Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

I love every component of this cake. I love the crunchy streusel base. And the orange-scented cakey middle. And the ribbons of tart, pink rhubarb that adorn the top. It’s the kind of decadence that disappears — in my house, anyway! — before you can say “Rhubarb Upside Down Cake.”

I make the cake this way:

First, take a pound of pink or red rhubarb stalks, and trim them to 9 inch lengths.

Then slice the stalks lengthwise in half, so that each is approximately 1/4-inch thick.

Put the rhubarb and 3/4 cups of sugar in a shallow dish, and toss to coat. Let the rhubarb macerate (exude its juices) for about 5 minutes.

Now grease a 9-inch-diameter non-stick cake pan, and dot the bottom with bits of butter.

Add the rhubarb and all of the sugar and juices to the cake pan. Trim the rhubarb stalks as necessary to make some kind of decorative pattern. Make sure the prettiest side of the rhubarb is facing down. Set the pan aside.

Now make the streusel! Knock 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar (light or dark as you please) into a medium bowl…

Add 1/2 cup flour…

And 3 tablespoons of cold, diced-up butter.

Rub the trio together with your fingers until you achieve a mixture that resembles small crumbs. Set the streusel aside.

Onto the cake! In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder), and a pinch of salt. Set these dry ingredients aside for a moment.

Also, center the oven rack, and heat the oven to 350°F.

Now fling 1 1/2 sticks (about 150 grams) of thoroughly softened butter into the bowl of a standing mixer. If you don’t have a standing mixer, use any large mixing bowl and electric beaters.

Shower the butter with 1 cup of sugar…

And beat at medium speed until the mixture turns light and fluffy.

Then beat in 2 large eggs…

The grated zest of one large naval orange…

And the juice (about 3 tablespoons) of the previously zested orange.

Also beat in a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

At low speed, beat in half the flour mixture just until it disappears into the batter.

Now trade your standing mixer or electric beaters for a spoon or spatula.

While taking one of the worst pictures ever, stir in 1 cup of plain yogurt a little at a time, alternating the yogurt with small amounts of the remaining flour mixture. Stir only until the flour disappears into the batter.

Pour the batter of the rhubarb…

Smooth the top with a spatula…

Then sprinkle on the streusel!

Bake until the streusel browns, and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, or mostly clean — 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, and then run a knife around the edge of the cake.

And then…

And then…

Set a round platter or pedestal cake stand over the pan…

Invert the two…

Say a prayer…

And unmold the cake!

When the cake has cooled to room temperature (not before!), feel free to devour the entire thing with or without any help. The cake will remain moist and delicious for two days if covered and stored at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate the cake.

Ribbons of pink rhubarb crown this moist-but-dense cake, which is all the better for its crunchy base of streusel.

Ingredients

For the rhubarb:

1 lb pink or red rhubarb

3/4 cups sugar

1 generous tablespoon butter

For the streusel:

1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, diced

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

The zest and juice of one large naval orange

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup plain yogurt

Instructions

Preparing the rhubarb -- Trim, wash, and dry the stalks. Then cut the stalks lengthwise in half as necessary to achieve 1/4-inch-thick stalks. Put the stalks in a shallow dish, toss with the 3/4 cup of sugar, and then set aside for about 5 minutes while the rhubarb exudes some of its juices.

Buttering the cake pan and arranging the rhubarb -- Grease (or spray) a non-stick, 9-inch-diameter cake pan, and dot the bottom with butter. Tip the rhubarb and all of the sugar and exuded juices into the cake pan, trimming the stalks to fit the pan in some decorative pattern. Make sure the pink or red side of each stalk is facing down.

Making the streusel -- Put the brown sugar, flour, and diced butter in a medium bowl. Rub with clean fingers until the mixture resembles small(ish) crumbs. Set aside.

The cake -- Center the oven rack; heat the oven to 350°F. Tip the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Then put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer (or, use any large bowl and electric beaters). Beat the butter mixture at medium speed until its turns light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs at medium speed, followed by the orange zest, orange juice, and cinnamon. At low speed, beat in half of the flour mixture just until the flour disappears into the batter. Use a spoon or spatula to gradually add alternating additions of the yogurt and the remaining flour mixture.

Assembling and baking the cake -- Pour the batter evenly over the rhubarb, and smooth the top with a spatula. Then scatter the streusel over the batter. Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or mostly clean -- 55 minutes to 1 hour. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.

Unmolding the cake -- Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake's sides. Then set a plate or pedestal cake stand on top of the cake pan. Invert to unmold. Let the cake sit undisturbed until it achieves room temperature (the cake will firm up and the streusel will turn crisp during cooling).

Serving -- When the cake has cooled to room temperature, serve it with or without such accompaniments as ice cream, whipped cream, or creme fraiche.

Query… our never the size of pan you use. In the first part, you lay the rhubarb n what looks like a 9×13 glass pan…. but later you are pouring the batter over the rhubarb which has snuck into a round cake pan????

Oh my, can’t wait to try this! I had my 30 year old Kitchen Aid mixer repaired by some magicians here in Texas. They told me it was worth it as it still had a healthy mighty motor. Your green beauty is lovely but I am happy to have my ivory work horse back.

Hi Kevin…It is Sunday May 27th and I just had a slice of the most delicious rhubarb cake…I baked it this morning and OMG it is good…Love the taste of the orange and rhubarb, what a great combo . Thank you, I can always count on your recipes…

Kevin, The ingredients make this sound very attractive. Alas, I am still “grain free” and did not eat dessert before then any how. Paul does not care for rhubarb, though, like me, he has memories of sitting outside in spring with a cup of sugar and a rhubarb stick to dip. I dug up the last of my rhubarb plants this spring and divided it into nine healthy plants that were sold at the garden club’s plant sale. I am glad so many people wanted rhubarb. I have planed a shrub and parsley in the rhubarb spot.

Almost forgot to ask. With all the delicious recipes, and particularly the desserts, how come you are not obese?????

I just picked some rhubarb yesterday to try this! I will also try an almond-flour recipe as many of my coworkers are gluten free, but I think the structure and handling of the rhubarb in yours looks better. If anyone had a direct gluten free flour idea for this recipe, I would love to hear it. Cheers and thanks for the charming (and informative) posts!

Our busy weekend was rearranged to a different version of busy, due a last minute necessary decision for our “Big Dog” to undergo surgery and become a TriPaw on Friday. Hubby was on doggy pain med watch on Sat while I was at work. On Sunday a great friend/neighbor helped us get to our grandson’s 5th birthday party by dog sitting. Our Monday bbq invitation had to be declined due to – you guessed it – staying home with “Big Dog” Duke. But no worries….our amazing friend/neighbor and her family were repaid buy coming to an impromptu bbq at OUR house ….my baby back ribs and home made Orange Creamsickle cheesecake (and a rambuncious game of darts). Hoping that you and your crew had a fantastic weekend!

Kevin – We’re going to a dinner later this week and so I thought I’d give this beauty a test drive. Man, oh man! It looks exactly like your photo! So pretty! And it tastes even better. And I get to bake another one for the real dinner on Thursday. This is a keeper. And I’ll be having mine with creme fraiche! Thank you, Kevin.

Hi Kevin! I thought you might like to know that this recipe (times four!) fed 20 very happy field biologists living on a small island in the Atlantic from rhubarb planted several decades ago. It was delicious! Can’t wait to make it again.

I’m making this cake now and it is overflowing the 9″ round cake pan. When I put the batter in the pan I told my husband it was way too much batter but maybe is doesn’t rise very much. Wrong!! Luckily I was ready with a pan to put on the bottom of the oven in the event the batter started going over. Was able to scoop up mess at bottom of oven as is seemed to come over one side only. When I checked the cake a little later to blobs on the bottom were a little burnt but the top was cooked and so we got to sample a little of what the cake will taste like – delish, as expected!! I think I actually creamed the sugar and butter too much. Didn’t know that was possible. As I’m writing the cake is now done. Wasn’t sure it would come out of the pan as there was baked batter all around the pan. I cut around the edges and hoped for the best. It came right out.

Laura^^ I could’ve written your message! I even took pictures as the cake grew :). Too…we’ve sampled the edge pieces and they are indeed delicious. The cake seems to have a puddle in the center so I’m anxiously awaiting the magic to happen as it cools. Kevin…I have some interesting pictures to share…but can’t in this forum….:)

Hi there Kevin, we love rhubarb and this recipe is amazing, the presentation made it even more delicious. One thing I might add is that I used a regular 9″ round cake pan, ( not as deep as your bakers pan) and as I was pouring the batter over the rhubarb I realized that there was going to be an over flow!!! So I quickly buttered up a small ceramic bowl and scooped out some of the batter into it. So glad I did, otherwise there would have been a big mess in my oven!
The little cake is nestled in the freezer to be enjoyed another day, although it has no rhubarb or streusel topping on it I can easily make a rhubarb compote to spoon over the cake and serve it with some ice cream or a dollop of maple flavoured whipped cream and serve 4 lucky guests!! I have a few baker style pans but will just have to go get a 9″ pan very soon as I am sure to make this recipe over and over again!!

Kevin Lee Jacobs

Kevin is an award-winning food, garden and lifestyle guru who lives in New York's Hudson Valley. His recipes have appeared in dozens of newspapers. He has contributed countless gardening articles to African Violet Magazine, Berkshire Home Style Magazine, and Garden Design Magazine.